Scream Your Heart Out
by Failure Turtle
Summary: Jeff suffered a freak accident while in TNA, causing him to completely lose his hearing. Can Jeff Hardy make a comeback in the WWE if he can't hear? Eventual Jeffx?
1. Here Laid to Rest

**A/N: Inspired by MTV's "True Life: I'm Deaf."**

**I plan for this to be quite long. It might not be updated until next week, though. I'm moving tomorrow and I'm getting internet on Saturday in my new apartment.**

It had been a long six months. It had been a long time since he had heard anyone speak. He remembered their voices, but they were distant. If he didn't hear somebody's voice soon, he thought he might go crazy.

In early 2006, Jeff Hardy had a little bit of an accident while wrestling with TNA. After a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match gone wrong, Jeff completely lost his hearing. He was legally deaf, prompting him to leave TNA.

The transition was hard. Jeff wasn't prone to reading lips very well, but he quickly found out that he'd have to learn. Sign language had yet to become a friend of his, as well. At times, he assumed that people born deaf were born with the knowledge of sign language. Even though he had been studying it and taking classes, it still confused him. Mainly, he relied on writing everything down. It was irritating for him and for whom he was communicating with, but it was all he could do.

But if anything, being deaf had given Jeff a new outlook on life. With a key sense taken away from him, he realized that he was truly given the gift of life, and the gift of his wrestling talent. Gone were the days of drug abuse and depression. He chose to accept himself and love himself for what he had become, even though the first few months weren't so great.

After he left TNA, the void that had been created from the loss of his hearing wasn't being filled as it should have been. He didn't have a girlfriend. He couldn't really talk with most of his friends over the phone if they lived far away. He had Matt and he had his dog, Jack.

The loss of his hearing was especially hard on Jeff when it came to his dog. He couldn't hear him bark if he needed anything, and Jeff didn't want to neglect his true best friend and faithful companion.

Jeff realized what would fill the void, and that was wrestling. He knew that his life wasn't complete and would remain incomplete if he wasn't wrestling. But there was one problem. How would he be able to work the matches with his opponent if he couldn't hear? He had two options. One, he could attempt to choreograph the entire match with his opponent beforehand, but that would be painful and tedious for all of the involved parties. Two, they could completely wing it, but that would be dangerous, and few people trusted Jeff Hardy in dangerous situations. He made even the safest situation dangerous by his mere presence.

Matt hated seeing his brother like this. He had been going along with Jeff to his sign language classes to better further his understanding of Jeff's ailment, and so he could better communicate with him.

The void in Jeff's life wasn't hidden from Matt. More often than not when Matt would go over to Jeff's house, he would find Jeff sitting in front of the television with the volume blasting in an attempt to hear again, watching his old matches. The look on Jeff's face was indescribable. His jaw always hung open, almost as if he was in awe of what he used to do. It was always mixed with a twinge of longing, almost as if wrestling was Jeff's drug and he was in a recession from it.

Alas, it was true, and Matt knew it.

And that was when Matt decided that Jeff _needed_ to get back into the WWE.


	2. Vince McMahon

**A/N: Instead of thoughts being in written in italics, it will be what the characters say in sign language, unless stated otherwise.**

**And this should follow what happened in the WWE.**

_Matt, this is crazy._

Of course, "crazy" was one of the terms that Jeff always remembered in sign language. It was one of his favorite words.

Matt still didn't have a firm grasp on sign language, so he opted to write down what he wanted to say. He quickly scribbled it down and handed the paper to Jeff.

Jeff looked at the paper and read: _Jeff, it's not crazy. You're talented, and I know you can do this. Albeit your past, Vince still loves you as a person, and I'm sure he'd be glad to have you back. You'd be a legend if you could pull this off._

Jeff finished Matt's statement and balled his hand into a fist, crumpling the paper inside of it.

_No_.

* * *

"Matt, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do that," Vince said, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head. "We released him for a _reason_. This is too much of a risk right now. With ratings going down, I don't think I can afford to sign a crash and burn."

"That's a little uncalled for, don't you think?" Matt asked.

"I realize that your brother is a good person, but old habits come back fast. With the way your brother used to be…And isn't he upset that he's deaf? Might that prompt him to become depressed again?"

"Vince, no offense, sir, but it sounds as if you are making up any excuse for my brother to resort back to drugs. You haven't been with him these past six months. I have. He appreciates his life for what it is now. Sure, he gets down sometimes, but he hasn't touched a damn drug. Take a chance on him, Vince. You said that the ratings are going down. My brother could just be the person to bring them back up. And he's too much of a risk? He's one of the greatest risk takers in the game, so it only fits. Come on, Vince. You know you want to."

It was a rare time that Vince would allow one of his employees to talk to him like that. The only time it was allowed was when they were making a good point.

Matt Hardy must have been making a damn good point, because Vince said nothing against it.

"You have some nerve…" Vince started, and Matt flinched with the anticipation of an oncoming Vince blowout. "But I like it. If you bring your brother in on Friday, April 4th, we might be able to work something out."

Matt stood up along with the chairman and shook his hand. "Thank you so much, Vince. I know Jeff will appreciate this."

"You only have yourself to thank. But I do have a question. What is the best way to go about communicating with your brother?"

"You don't know sign language, do you?" Matt chuckled.

"No, I'm afraid that I do not."

"He prefers it when we just write down what we want to say and let him read it. He's not doing to well with reading lips."

* * *

_No_.

_Don't lie, Jeff_, Matt wrote.

_No. I don't want to._

_You don't want to what? Wrestle? Yes, you do. Now, you're coming with me whether you like it or not._

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Jeffrey Nero Hardy._

_Fine._


	3. Pimpin' Ain't Easy

_Dress nicely_.

When Jeff saw what his brother had written, he had half a mind to crumple up the paper and throw it at Matt. Dress nicely? Was he insinuating that Jeff normally didn't dress nice?

Jeff held up that paper and pointed at it, looking at Matt and mouthed, _What the fuck?_

Matt snatched the paper and wrote, _Presentable._

This time, Jeff threw the paper in the air and watched as it slowly fluttered down and landed on the carpet. He stomped his feet like a child and left the room.

"I guess I'll pick out his clothes," Matt sighed. He picked out black dress pants with a purple dress shirt for Jeff to wear. Matt found Jeff in the living room on the couch and put the clothing items on his lap. He pointed at them to indicate to Jeff that he was supposed to put them on for Vince.

Jeff shook his head.

Matt encouragingly nodded at his brother. Jeff sighed and went to the bathroom to change. When he reentered the room, he had a disgusted look on his face. He didn't enjoy being dressed up against his will.

Matt picked up his keys and jingled them in front of Jeff's face. "Let's go," Matt said, even though he knew that Jeff couldn't hear him.

* * *

"Mr. Hardy, you're looking fantastic," Vince said as Jeff and Matt entered the room.

"Er…" Matt said, not know which Mr. Hardy that Vince was addressing.

"Well, both of you, but I was talking to Jeff, but…Oh, yeah," Vince sighed. He had a temporary mind slip, forgetting that Jeff couldn't hear a word he said. He extended his hand out to Jeff, and Jeff shook it. Vince motioned to the chairs to let the Hardy brothers know to sit down. "Is he excited?"

"I think he is," Matt said, glancing at Jeff, who was fidgeting in the chair next to him. "But he's nervous, as well."

"That is to be understood. I suppose I should be asking him, this, but maybe you can communicate with him better than I can. How does he think he will be able to work matches with his opponents?"

Matt turned to Jeff and attempted to ask the question in sign language. He quickly gave up. "Sir, do you have a pen and paper?"

"Of course," Vince nodded, handing Matt the required supplies.

_How are you going to work matches if you can't talk to your opponents?_

Jeff looked up and Matt. He put up two fingers like a peace sign, pointed to his eyes, and then Jeff's eyes. Matt chuckled and wrote something else down.

_I'm not going to be your opponent every match._

Jeff thought about it and replied,_ We can either memorize it or completely wing it. If I know who is booked to win, we can do it. I can do anything._

"Well, there's your answer," Matt sighed, pushing the paper across Vince's desk.

"Matt, I don't know how many Superstars are going to be comfortable with this," Vince said, worried about his other talent.

"Is anybody really comfortable with anything you make them do?" Matt countered, a risky move.

Vince carefully surveyed Matt. "You have a knack for really pushing the envelope around me, but…I like it."

"Er, thanks, I guess," Matt said. He glanced at Jeff. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Would he be opposed to valet work for a few weeks?"

Matt quickly wrote the question down for Jeff to answer. Jeff shrugged, but a smile lightly danced across his lips.

"He's fine with it," Matt announced.

"Well, then, Jeff Hardy," Vince said, opening a drawer of his desk and pulling out a packet of papers, "welcome back to the WWE."

Jeff sat still, twiddling his thumbs, not able to hear those words he'd been dying to hear. Matt nudged him to get his attention and pointed at the contract.

Jeff's jaw dropped. He pointed to himself, as if to ask that he was the one receiving the contract.

Matt nodded happily.

Jeff's lingering smile turned into a full on grin as he snatched the contract and skimmed over it. He was like a baby puppy with his enthusiasm. He quickly signed on the dotted line and accepted his second run in the WWE.

This was going to be interesting.


	4. The Return of the Enigma

**A/N: I would never write JeffxAshley into a long story, nor would I make up some lame name for the pairing.**

**For those interested, I closed the poll in my profile. You may now see the results.**

"We're thinking of a program with Johnny Nitro," Vince explained to Matt as Jeff twiddled his thumbs happily.

"What does he think of that?" Matt skeptically asked. Albeit being friends with him out of the ring, Matt didn't know how he would respond to being in a program with a deaf Superstar, even if that Superstar just so happened to be Jeff Hardy.

"Contrary to what I'm sure you believe, Mr. Hardy, Nitro is looking forward to this. He thinks it will be a good experience for him to improve his improvisation skills and to deepen his ability to work a match. The real question is, Matt, does Jeff trust Nitro?"

Matt turned to look at Jeff, who had no idea that they were talking about him. Jeff was silently playing a game with his fingers as the two other men stared on. Vince cleared his throat and slid a pen and paper to Matt.

_Can you trust Johnny Nitro with you in the ring?_

Jeff was snapped out of his daze as Matt nudged him. He read the paper and grinned, nodding.

"Yes, I think he can trust him," Matt announced.

"Good, but…"

"No offense, sir, but that doesn't sound too good for Jeff."

"His first match back will be against Edge."

"No," Matt said almost before Vince even finished his sentence.

"Now, before you get your panties in a bunch, you should know that Lita will pull Edge out of the ring rather quickly. It will be a short match with a quick promo beforehand. Jeff will just have to stand there. We'll have one of the creative members act like an interpreter who will read some scripted words on Jeff's behalf. Jeff will just have to get in some quick offense when we give him the signal, and then Edge will be out of there. It's simple enough to understand, don't you think?"

Matt thought it over. "Hm…It sounds good. I know Jeff will be able to handle it."

"Good, because we've already started piecing together old footage of you two for vignettes advertising his return for August 21st. That's not very far off. Is he ready?"

"Yes, sir, he is ready."

* * *

The adrenaline running through his body felt familiar to Jeff. He remembered the enigmatic feeling. He remembered the butterflies in his stomach. He remembered his heart pounding in his ears.

But this time, he could only feel it, not hear it.

Matt told him that the signal for him to start beating on Edge would be when he dropped his WWE Championship belt. It seemed easy enough, as long as Edge didn't accidentally drop it. When Edge started his little head bobble, Jeff was supposed to look taken aback, since it would be pretty obvious that he said something bad about Jeff.

It didn't seem too complicated.

Jeff paced in the back with Brian Gewirtz, the head RAW writer. He was going to play Jeff's interpreter slash representative speaker for the evening.

Jeff could feel the vibrations from the crowd just outside the curtain. He assumed that they were happy sounds, and not grumblings of anger or boredom. But if Jeff could hear the Hardy chants, his heart just might have beaten out of his chest.

_Maybe it's better that I can't hear this_, Jeff thought to himself.

Jeff felt a tug on his arm. He looked up to see Brian telling him that he was ready to go.

When Jeff walked through the curtain, it was if he was born again. The crowd screaming for him thrilled him as much as a silent scream could. The crowd clapped along with the beat of his dearly missed entrance music, and that helped Jeff perform his signature dance to the correct time. As he walked down the ramp, he slapped hands with as many fans as he could, appreciating their support for him. If he wasn't so nervous, he may have broken down and cried right there.

Jeff and Brian slipped in between the ropes and entered the ring. Brian already had a microphone in his hand, prepared to speak. He pulled out some notecards from the inside pocket of his business suit.

The returning Superstar looked around and saw all of the fan signs welcoming him back into the WWE. His heart swelled with pride. He just wished he could hear what they had to say to him, and then his heart broke.

Brian tried to settle the crowd down as best he could. When he gave up, he just started to speak instead. He knew the crowd would listen.

"I have some words to read, and they were written by Jeff Hardy himself," Brian started, and the crowd silenced. Brian scanned what he had written on the notecards and began to recite, "Some of you know, and some of you may not know, that I, Jeff Hardy, am completely deaf."

The crowd let out a sigh of compassion.

"But that will not stop me from coming back, better than ever. Being deaf has made me a better person. I assure you that my wrestling skills will only get better, as other senses are heightened with the loss of another. You will not see Jeff Hardy out of the championship picture for long. I thank all of you for your support throughout my entire career. I promise to not let you down. The reign of Jeff Hardy is only just—"

Edge's entrance music interrupted Brian's speech. He and Lita walked down hand in hand to the ring, along with Edge's WWE Championship belt and a microphone.

"You know, Jeff Hardy, I destroyed your brother's life. I know that you lost your hearing and all, but I don't feel bad for you. I don't pity you. It was your own choice to come back here, and because of your stupid choice, I will destroy you."

Jeff could feel the crowd rumbling, and he knew that Edge had said something to anger them.

Edge stepped closer to Jeff. "You know what, Hardy? The only reason that these people are cheering for you is because you're pathetic. They feel sorry for you. You're a bigger charity case than Rey Mysterio. You'll never last here in the WWE. I don't care if you can't hear me, Hardy. You know what I'm saying. You fully understand that—"

Edge threw his championship belt down to the ground, and Jeff bull rushed him and started punching him.

Both Brian and Lita quickly fled the ring. A referee was sent down to the ring to make this match official. He had the timekeeper ring the bell to start the match.

Edge and Jeff were locked up on the mat. Edge's foot was sticking out of the ring from under the bottom rope. Lita used that opportunity to pull Edge out of the ring. The referee saw this, and disqualified Edge, making Jeff Hardy the winner.

The crowd heckled Edge as he taunted Jeff, even though he had lost the match. Jeff glared back at Edge, rubbing the back of his head. After the cameras cut to a commercial break, Jeff slowly paced back up the ramp, slapping hands with more fans.

Edge was waiting for Jeff in the back. "Good job, buddy. Welcome back," Edge said, hugging Jeff.

Even though he couldn't hear it, Jeff could tell it was a nice gesture on Edge's part.

With his television return in the books, what was next for Jeff Hardy? He didn't know, and he didn't care. Whatever it was, he knew that he was going to rock it.


	5. Nitro Bomb

"Would a title run now be too soon for your brother?" Vince McMahon asked Matt Hardy over the phone.

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't think that _anybody_ would turn down a title shot at any point in their career," Matt chuckled.

"Well, that program with Johnny Nitro is going to end up with Jeff scoring the Intercontinental Championship after Unforgiven. That means that Jeff is going to have to start wrestling this week. He'll win this match, but the have unsuccessful matches for the title. Let's surprise him with the title win, though. Can you prepare him with Nitro for this Monday?"

"He'll be ready."

* * *

"So, how is this going to work?" Melina asked, curiously. She had accompanied her boyfriend to the training session. She seemed to be more curious than her boyfriend, Johnny Nitro.

"Well, you already know what you have to do, baby," Johnny said, pulling Melina closer to him. "Just stand there and look hot."

"You are such a pig sometimes," Melina joked. "But seriously, how are you guys going to communicate during the match?"

"I think you guys might have to choreograph the entire match," Matt noted, watching his brother rebound off the ropes in the practice ring, getting a feel for everything again.

Matt reached in his bag and pulled out the notebook that he would use to communicate with Jeff. He quickly scribbled down, _Do you want to choreograph it or wing it?_

Matt smacked the canvas to get Jeff's attention. Jeff felt the vibrations in his feet and stopped running around like a child on a jungle gym. Jeff took hold of the notebook and replied with a very lengthy answer.

_Just wing it. You can trust me. It's not like I've ever really communicated in a match before. We know who is supposed to win. But I do have an idea. I'll call the match, and this is how. If I want you to reverse the move I'm doing, or if I want to reverse the move you're doing, I'll squeeze your shoulder or something. If I don't, I'll complete the move or you will complete the move. Of course, I'm finishing with a Swanton. How about we both hit all high flying moves, just to be safe. And after the Swanton, I pin you. How does that sound?_

Nitro read over Jeff's answer with Melina looking over his shoulder. Satisfied with the answer and believing that this could work, he gave Jeff a smile and a thumbs up.

* * *

Jeff's plan had gone very well for the first go around. He had just squeezed Nitro's shoulder as he was going for the Twist of Fate, and Nitro reversed it.

Jeff's heart beat faster and faster as the end of the match drew closer and closer. Nitro hit a split legged corkscrew off the top rope and Jeff sold it well. Even though he couldn't hear them, he knew that the crowd was pulling for him to get up. Nitro pulled Jeff up and hit a few punches.

Jeff knew the time limit was drawing to and end. He had to end the match. Nitro locked him up, and Jeff squeezed his shoulder again. Jeff reversed the hold into the Twist of Fate.

With shaking legs, Jeff climbed up to the top rope. He yelled without hearing himself, throwing up two Hardy Gunz. He took a deep breath and tried to prevent his legs from shaking as he stood atop the unsteady turnbuckle.

A leap of faith and a somersault later, Jeff hit his first Swanton Bomb since his return.

And damn, did it feel good.

After he was declared the winner, he went around slapping hands with as many fans as he could. How could he ever have left this? He didn't know.

But he'd be damned if he left it anytime soon. He wasn't going to let his disability hinder his career. He worked too hard for this. And even though he couldn't hear, he connected with the fans even more.


	6. Intercontinental

_Today is your day_, Jeff thought to himself as he looked in the mirror before another match with Johnny Nitro.

The date was October 2nd. This would mark his _true_ return to the WWE, the return of the enigma.

This was his third chance at the Intercontinental Championship since his return, and everyone knows that the third time is the charm.

* * *

Everything was planned out. They already decided what spots they would do and what spots they would miss. Their system had worked last time, so now they just added another element.

It was now that Jeff Hardy wished that Johnny Nitro was always going to be his opponent. The two complimented each other so well, and Nitro understood how Jeff needed to work.

And Jeff knew that not everyone would be like that.

* * *

He could feel the vibrations of the crowd cheering through the metal of the ramp below him. He didn't know when to start dancing, so he relied on the crowd's dancing to cue him in. And after his fireworks, he ran down to the ring, trying to slap hands with as many fans as he could reach.

Nitro and Melina were already in the ring, so Jeff didn't have time to get pre-match butterflies in his stomach, but he was still reeling.

The bell rung, and Jeff was instantly met with a sharp kick to the stomach. Nitro took control over the beginning of the match until Jeff made a move after Nitro whipped him into the ropes. He began his series of unique offensive moves, even almost getting Nitro with the Twist of Fate before he escaped and rolled out of the ring.

Melina, of course, went to the aid of her boyfriend. Jeff saw and jumped over the ropes, prompting Nitro to push Melina out of the way. Seeing that all he would hit was the floor, Jeff landed on the apron and leaped off of it, landing this time on Johnny Nitro.

Jeff got up and stalked towards Melina, who cowered back in fear. Seeing that she would do nothing, he returned his attention to Nitro.

Once he had gotten him back in the ring, Nitro took control, putting Jeff in a series of submission moves. Melina egged him on until Jeff managed to stand up to escape the hold. After a few punches, Jeff whipped Nitro into the turnbuckle, squeezing his shoulder to tell him to move away from his next move. Jeff attempted the Whisper in the Wind, but Nitro had rolled out of the ring just in time, causing Jeff to land on his back.

Melina demanded that her boyfriend get back in the ring, and he did, only to prematurely pin Jeff, who kicked out after the two count. Nitro continued to beat Jeff senseless after his failed high risk move, even to the point of ramming Jeff's shoulder into the steel post. Nitro dragged Jeff back into the middle of the ring and stood up with his hands on his hips, wondering what to do next.

Having decided his next move, he grabbed Jeff by the hair, forcing him to stand. He tossed Jeff up onto his shoulders and performed a backbreaker over his knee. Following another unsuccessful pinning attempt, Nitro tried another maneuver, this time using another submission hold.

The crowd chanted "HARDY! HARDY! HARDY!" but Jeff couldn't hear their pleas for him to escape. Nevertheless, he knew they were behind him. With the fire of the fans beneath him, he escaped that submission hold, as well, but Nitro grabbed his hair and threw him down, landing with his back slamming onto Nitro's knee.

He put the same submission move on Jeff once again. This time, Jeff not only managed to escape, but also to put that same submission hold onto Nitro. Nitro reversed _that_, but Jeff did a flip and kicked Nitro to the ground.

Jeff got up first. As Nitro stirred, Jeff started some explosive offense, diving onto his opponent numerous times. Nitro tried to escape to the safety, and to Melina, outside the ring, but Jeff grabbed Nitro and flipped him back into the ring as he stood on the apron. Jeff applied an innovative pin, using his legs to hold Nitro down, but this time, it was his turn to have an unsuccessful pinfall.

Nitro stood up, but Jeff beat him to the punch. Jeff ran to the turnbuckle and took a second chance at Whisper in the Wind, hitting it on the standing Johnny Nitro. Jeff quickly went for the pin, squeezing Nitro's shoulder as he did so. After the kickout, the fans weren't happy. They wanted their hero to be champion once again.

Jeff continued his assault on Nitro until Melina pulled her boyfriend out of the ring. Jeff did a baseball slide between the ropes and knocked Nitro down. Melina quickly scattered before she could be hit. She tried picking her boyfriend up, but Jeff ran across the barrier between the ring and the fans, jumping off and hitting not only Nitro, but Melina this time, as well. All three people laid on the outside of the ring, Melina clutching her leg.

The men got back into the ring and Nitro got the cheap shot, stepping on Jeff's back. Nitro pulled Jeff up to the top rope with him and squeezed his shoulder. Nitro flipped over Jeff's back, going for a powerbomb, but Jeff held his ground and stayed on the ropes, letting Nitro roll off of his back and fall to the ground.

He quickly turned around and saw the opportunity, the one he was waiting for. He looked around and saw all the faces cheering for him, all the signs in support for him.

_Welcome Back Jeff_

_Jeff Next IC Champ_

_Swanton Nitro_

And then he jumped.

One.

Two.

Three.

How sweet it would have been for Jeff to be able to hear Lilian's words. "Your winner and the NEW Intercontinental Champion: Jeff Hardy!"

But he couldn't.

Still, that couldn't take away from the fact that he had done what no one believe he could do. Even with his disability, he was able to not only return to the ring, but to also win a championship.

And this title was sweeter to him than all the rest.


End file.
